mjflores , where I’m coming from …
… has nothing to do with nationality ,
it has to do with a certain level of maturity when firearms are on the table for discussion or otherwise .
Uhhh
First of all, a shotgun is great weapon for bear defense, but, my first round in that chamber IS NOT going to be bird shot for heaven sake. And I certainly wouldn’t be following it up with buck shot.
We’re talking penetration here. LARGE, heavy, slower velocity rounds. Rounds that penetrate.
Just to clarify…and not to get way off topic here. If your going to carry a shotgun, carry slugs.
My weapon of choice in bear country…my 45/70 guide gun with 400+ grain loads.
.
Maturity or moron?
.
you’re missing the point entirely regarding a first round of bird shot as a teacher round, followed my buckshot. So many are quick to argue buckshot, but have never harvested a bear I’m betting. I’ll repeat it here again so the less than speedy can grab a hold. God doesn’t make a bear that cant be killed with buckshot.
I Have
harvested Bear…and dispached them because the had been injured
Buckshot is beyond any doubt Very Very INSUFFICIENT
Repeat BAD CHOICE…rethink this before attempting .
Bird shot is used in a safe invironment (as in at your home/yard as a deterent only…where You can access a safe place in case it doesn’t work…not as a self defence / teaching aid in the woods…bad idea.
Confusing ideas of traveling into the bears home area…with teaching a bear to stay out of your yard.
this kind of confusion could lead to a bad ending.
Buckshot has very little penetration (personal experance with lesser annimals) If You mean to kill a Bear use a sufficent round or forget it.
After they are wounded, they become dangerous far beyond imagination…and MUST be put down.
BAD IDEA…BAD IDEA…BAD IDEA.
SLUGS from a 12 Gauge or 444 marlin or other like powered round is the very least to make sure the outcome MIGHT be what you sought…
Best Wishes
Roy
The
answer is a clean camp…pack food carefully
pick you foods for lack of scent (no bacon type smells)
and either hang or bear canisters placed a long distance from your sleeping area and a seperate food preperation area.
(one Garcia canister shoud be able to hold 1 to 2 weeks of carefully thought out food , for one person)
for 2 people 3 canisters should be sufficient for two weeks of food.
Clean camp is the biggest key, and revisit what You actually need for food…mice and other rodents can end your trip too.
Best Wishes
Roy
forgot
to address the Ursack…I also have one of those besides the Garcia’s.
my take is they are not a replacement for the canisters because after / if a bear gets ahold if it with your food supply inside…what will your food that survives actually look like and if thats what You want to eat for the rest of the trip…your a better man than I :>)
Best Wishes
Roy
here
is the hanging method I use
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2701/4150085634_d25abfc373_m.jpg
in case it would help
Best Wishes
Roy
Thanks
for clearing that all up for the above poster Roy! geez!
canisters
thanks everyone for the help. this has been a great site for information and advice.
i’m going to go with odor-proof bags for the food and hang them when we can (i guess not all islands have trees). We’ll of course eat away form camp and do all the standard safety stuff. won’t buy a guy because i have no use for it after the trip, but we’ll sleep very close to our bear mace (we’ll each have one).
the food was the last of the major prep work, nad i think we’re ready to go apart from buying some gear. it’ll be great! thanks again.
The old saying applies
better to have a gun and not need it, than to need a gun and not have it. Even Cliff Jacobson takes a gun in Griz and Polar Bear country. There are bears that are habituated to people (i.e. campground bears), and there are bears that are PREDATORY. Preadatory bears will stalk you, attack you in your boat, and simply kill you if starving or interested in what you have. No one should shoot a bear unless absolutely necessary to save someone from harm (not to defend food), but to say that keeping a clean camp is all that is necessary and bears will never be a threat anywhere because you haven’t seen it in Wisconsin is naieve. Having muleskinned and guided in northern Wyoming and canoed in big bear country, with a couple close encounters, I can tell you that a 12ga is with me more often than not. I have no malice towards any wildlife and enjoy seeing bears. I just know that a bear entering your tent at night requires nothing less than a lethal response. He may be one in a thousand but that’s little consolation when he’s there for YOU!
game05 I am not even going to touch
your last post. I will just let others use their imagination.
“We’ll of course eat away form camp and do all the standard safety stuff. won’t buy a guy because i have no use for it after the trip,”.